- Actors: Burt Lancaster, Montgomery Clift, Deborah Kerr, Donna Reed, Frank Sinatra
- Directors: Fred Zinnemann
- Writers: Daniel Taradash, James Jones
- Producers: Buddy Adler
- Language English
- Classification: PG
- Studio: Uca
- VHS Release Date: 1 July 2002
- Run Time: 118 minutes
- Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
- ASIN: B00004RSNF
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 3,225 in Video (See Top 100 in Video)
Product details |
Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
From Here to Eternity offers a much more heartfelt interpretation of the event that propelled the United States into World War II than any film made in recent years. Here there are no angst-ridden scenes where "true love" returns from the dead, no costly CGI and definitely no Hallmark happy ending. This is a film about illicit sex, military machismo and tragic loss of love, friendship and ultimately life. The filmmakers did, however, have to make some compromises when adapting James Jones's novel: Alma becomes a "hostess" rather than a prostitute and the very downbeat ending, where Captain Holmes is essentially rewarded for his brutality by the military, was replaced with the morally acceptable punishment of his actions by a more self-aware army. Although Private Robert E Lee Pruitt's story provides the meat of the film, there are other subplots woven into the narrative, including a couple of doomed love affairs, which explore themes of adultery and social acceptance. Sergeant Warden (Burt Lancaster) begins a torrid affair with the commander's wife Karen (Deborah Kerr) leading to one of the most famous moments in movie history--the "clinch in the surf". From then on everything is challenged. Love, honour and eventually whether you should conform or stand up for what you believe in. At the end the couples are left wondering about the future of their relationship, but fate decides for them as the Japanese launch their attack on Pearl Harbor, leaving us with one of the most dramatic and moving endings of any war film.
On the DVD: The black and white film is not anamorphically enhanced but presented full frame in its original aspect ratio of 1.37:1, although the transfer is well done and the picture is pretty sharp. Sound is 2.0 mono rather than the standard 5.1 reworking of the audio track, and it works. The dialogue is clear without any noticeable hiss. There's a 22-minute "making of" documentary, which doesn't really do justice to the film and contains very little information of interest. Along with this is Fred Zinnemann's As I See It, an extract from the director's home video footage from the shoot. You also get the theatrical trailer, but the best feature is the audio commentary, by Fred Zinnemann's son Tim and screenwriter Alvin Sargent, which has some fantastic detail about the struggle between director and studio-head Harry Cohn over casting, along with the run-ins with the censor and US military over the "inflammatory nature" of the film.--Kristen Bowditch
Synopsis
The original Pearl Harbor movie provides a torrid look at military life just prior to the bombing of Pearl Harbor, with remarkable performances from Frank Sinatra, Montgomery Clift, Burt Lancaster, Donna Reed and Deborah Kerr.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
From the days when doorstop novels (or at least large chunks of them) were turned into films rather than mini-series, From Here to Eternity may be toned down to please both the censors and the US Army, whose co-operation was vital to the film, but it's still a superb piece of film-making that slips in a few powerful punches between the lines.
Set in Pearl Harbor in the months leading up to the Japanese attack, it focuses on two professional soldiers: Prewitt (Montgomery Clift), a hard-headed ex-boxer given 'the treatment' by his commanding officer to force him to fight in the regimental boxing championships, and the company's Top Sergeant (Burt Lancaster), who is having an affair with the officer's frigid wife (Deborah Kerr).
Daniel Taradish's screenplay is a masterpiece of snappy construction, perfectly mirrored by Fred Zinnemann's directorial style that brings out both the toughness and the sentiment with a convincing lack of sensationalism. And what a cast: Lancaster a convincing mixture of toughness and emotional vulnerability, a surprisingly sexy Kerr, Donna Reed playing tough against type, Borgnine at his meanest and a wonderful array of character actors. Clift may make an unlikely boxer, but his performance is one of his best, as is that of Sinatra, always under-rated as an actor on those occasions when he made an effort, as his doomed best friend Maggio.
With a good DVD transfer, this is let down by the extras - only a teaser trailer, a making-of featurette that runs a full two minutes (!!!), a brief extract from a documentary about the director and an audio commentary by Tim Zinnemann and Alvin Sargent. This is still well worth adding to your collection, though. Classic films often don't live up to their reputations. This one does.
Set in Pearl Harbor in the months leading up to the Japanese attack, it focuses on two professional soldiers: Prewitt (Montgomery Clift), a hard-headed ex-boxer given 'the treatment' by his commanding officer to force him to fight in the regimental boxing championships, and the company's Top Sergeant (Burt Lancaster), who is having an affair with the officer's frigid wife (Deborah Kerr).
Daniel Taradish's screenplay is a masterpiece of snappy construction, perfectly mirrored by Fred Zinnemann's directorial style that brings out both the toughness and the sentiment with a convincing lack of sensationalism. And what a cast: Lancaster a convincing mixture of toughness and emotional vulnerability, a surprisingly sexy Kerr, Donna Reed playing tough against type, Borgnine at his meanest and a wonderful array of character actors. Clift may make an unlikely boxer, but his performance is one of his best, as is that of Sinatra, always under-rated as an actor on those occasions when he made an effort, as his doomed best friend Maggio.
With a good DVD transfer, this is let down by the extras - only a teaser trailer, a making-of featurette that runs a full two minutes (!!!), a brief extract from a documentary about the director and an audio commentary by Tim Zinnemann and Alvin Sargent. This is still well worth adding to your collection, though. Classic films often don't live up to their reputations. This one does.
21 of 24 people found the following review helpful
Format:VHS Tape
This ia a case of an outstanding movie being adapted from a great book.
FROM HERE TO ETERNITY presents a realistic portrait of army life in Hawaii immediately before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. The film features strong performances by Burt Lancaster, Deborah Kerr, Frank Sinatra, Donna Reed, Ernest Borgnine and Montgomery Clift. An extremely competent supporting cast includes Jack Warden, Philip Ober and Mickey Shaughnessy.
Burt Lancaster makes a convincing first sergeant. One who is running the show and is full of knowledge about how the army really works. He also has good instincts when it comes time to act as he demonstrates in the showdown with the sadistic "Fatso" played by Ernest Borgnine. Borgnine himself is exceptional in his most famous impersonation of a villain.
Frank Sinatra definitely deserves his Oscar in the role of the defiant Maggio. However, after seeing Lee Marvin play a drunk it is hard to appreciate any other actor's attempt compared with Marvin's portrayal of one in PAINT YOUR WAGON.
FROM HERE TO ETERNITY was a relatively low-budget production but it still managed to receive five Academy Awards and eight nominations.
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
This film has a magnificient cast and the beach scene with Deborah Carr and Burt Lancaster is the sexiest ever
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
a must-have on your collection!
This film is great,a must-have on you collection.you would see it again,again and again.Capture perfectly the atmoshpere
during the II war years:soldiers lifes at USA army,the... Read more
during the II war years:soldiers lifes at USA army,the... Read more
Published 1 month ago by martin
Good film - well transferred - disappointing packaging
If you have picked this up second hand, the lack of extras may not be an issue for you - as it wasnt for me. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Ginola14
LOVE and War
From Here To Eternity is not quite the masterpiece I was expecting. I can however understand why at the time the film was a success and much of it can still be highly... Read more
Published 12 months ago by j.r
classic
what more could a movie fan ask for, starring montgomery cliff, burt lancaster, ernest borginine and francis albert sinatra in a supporting role not forgetting the pride of... Read more
Published 13 months ago by redgeorge
film
I got this for my neighbour and was a bit dissappointed with the condition of the case but the film was ok.It was delivered securely and on time.
Published 23 months ago by Mrs. J. Tiltman
Perfect Present
Perfect present for my mother-in-law, especially as she didn't know where to get it from.
Published 24 months ago by T. Currie
Mr
ONe of rhe worst thngs I've done in my life.
Okay I'm stupid. Why? i was not aware that there
are REGIONS in where DVD made to that region alone
My computer found... Read more
Okay I'm stupid. Why? i was not aware that there
are REGIONS in where DVD made to that region alone
My computer found... Read more
Published on 2 July 2009 by A. B. Mac Farlane
From Here To Eternity [DVD] [1953]
Purchased this item to a retired friend of mine, and he felt nostalgic watching it again, remembering old days
remembering old days, good memories and good times. Thank you
remembering old days, good memories and good times. Thank you
Published on 26 Jun 2009 by M. Emin Tarim
What a story to dine out on !
Entertaining as they may be, forget all the other movies purporting to dramatise the 1941 attack on the american pacific fleet at pearl harbour. Read more
Published on 23 Jun 2009 by DoDo Fan
A Favourite
Great story, great filming and great acting. One of the best classics from Hollywood. A must own for film freaks. Most of it are already mentioned in reviews under this review. :-D
Published on 7 July 2007 by Paul Stenbrenden
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